An academy for growth and guidance

Rubber duckies to Blue whales!

For a change that drastic, something drastic must have happened right? Probably not! With parents terrified about suicides amongst children, each one is striving hard to dig out every possible reason that is pushing a child to take such an extreme step. Earlier there were reasons (if one may call it that) to end a life; however invalid it may have seemed to others. Heartbreaks, failures at school, poverty… etc. But today, parents who say they have given “everything” to their kids too end up losing their children. While looking for something huge and noticeable as a cause to such behaviour, what has emerged as a winner from research is a very basic concept – poor communication between parents and children.

As shocking as it may seem, it most certainly is that essential too. After having provided your kids with “everything”, maybe it’s time to just make sure that you too are there for them; in every possible way. Constant critiquing, unrealistic expectations, academic pressure etc could be underlying causes of one wanting to end their life. As quoted by a child who attempted suicide 17 times, the aim was not to end a life; but to end the pain.

It’s important to comprehend that “pain” is a relative term and however irrelevant it may appear to be to us; it is valid for a child. To validate his feelings and understand his pain is crucial. And when that doesn’t happen he looks for other options, sometimes, suicide!

With World Mental Health day being celebrated three days ago, the hope is that people take a step forward and acknowledge mental health issues in children too. Acknowledgment is only the first step to solving it. If parents identify an issue and vow to resolve it by asking for help, they are perhaps preventing a tragedy that was waiting to happen!

So, to all parents out there, you may feel you are doing everything right, and of course, one is never dubious about the intentions of a parent; but never forget communication is a two-way street and it should seem right from both ends for it be ‘effective’.

So even if you feel everything is “fine”, it’s better to look at communication from another angle; hence making sure everything always remains fine. Parents are ready to go any length to protect their kids from the big bad blue whale and when it could be doing something as basic as improving communication, why not start now?